He said: Abu Qurra, the narrator of ahadith asked me to admit him into the presence of Abu’l Hasan ar-Rida عليه السلام, so I asked for his permission in that and he accepted it from me. So he entered upon him and asked him about the permissible and the forbidden, until he said to him: Do you affirm that Allah is carried? So Abu’l Hasan عليه السلام said: Everything that is carried is an object [of the carrier], additional to what is besides it, and dependent. And ‘carried’ is the name for a defect in an expression, while the carrier is a subject and is [meant to indicate] praise in an expression. And that is the expression of one who says, “Highest and lowest; uppermost and lowermost”. And Allah says, “And for Him are the best names, so call Him by them” (7:180), and He does not say in His Book that He is carried. Rather, He said that He is the carrier in the sea and on the land, and the preserver of the heavens and the Earth from falter. A carried thing is [that which is] other than Allah. The supplication “O carried one!” is never heard from one who believes in Allah and His greatness.Abu Qurra said: But He says, “… and eight will uphold the throne of their Lord that day, above them” (69:17), and He says, “those who uphold the throne…” (40:7). So Abu’l Hasan عليه السلام said: The throne (`arsh) is not Allah, rather it is a name for knowledge and power. In the throne is everything. He ascribed ‘carrying’ to other than Himself – [it is ascribed] to creatures from His creation, because He has made His creatures worship Him by carrying His throne; and they are carrying [a portion of] His knowledge. And there are creatures who glorify [Him] around the throne and act by His knowledge. And the angels write the deeds of His servants. He has made the people of the Earth circumambulate His house (i.e. the Ka`ba). And Allah is established upon His throne, just as He has said. Allah carries the throne, those who uphold it, and those who surround the throne. He preserves them, and He is the sustainer and guardian over every person, and He is above every thing, and He is upon every thing. He cannot be called a carrier or a foundation; this saying is solitary and does not reach a thing, so it corrupts its pronunciation and its meaning. Abu Qurra said: So do you belie the narration that has come [that says], “When Allah becomes angry, His anger becomes known to the angels that hold the throne. They feel the weight of His anger on their shoulders, so they fall down in prostration. And when the anger goes, it (i.e. the throne) lightens and they return to their places”? So Abu’l Hasan عليه السلام said: Inform me about Allah تبارك وتعالى: from when He cursed Iblees till your time, He has been angry with him. So when was He pleased [during that time]? And in your dogma, His anger with him and with his supporters and with his followers is persistent. How dare you describe your Lord with changes from state to state, and [say] that He experiences what the creatures experience?! May He be glorified and exalted. He does not perish with those who perish, nor does He change with those who change, nor does He replace with those who are replaced and those who are under His hand and His management. All of them require Him, and He is independent from others. (al-Kafi, Volume 1 hadith 332)

He said: I asked Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام about the saying of Allah جل وعز, “His kursi overspreads the heavens and the Earth” (2:255). So he said: O Fudayl, everything is in the kursi – the heavens and the Earth and every thing is in the kursi. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 333)

He said: I asked Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام about the saying of Allah جل وعز, “His kursi overspreads the heavens and the Earth” (2:255) – do the heavens and the Earth overspread the kursi, or does the kursi overspread the heavens and the Earth? So he said: The kursi overspreads the heavens, the Earth, and the throne (`arsh); and all things overspread the kursi. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 334)

He said: I asked Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام about the saying of Allah عز وجل, “His kursi overspreads the heavens and the Earth” (2:255) – do the heavens and the Earth overspread the kursi, or does the kursi overspread the heavens and the Earth? So he said: Everything is in the kursi. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 335)